Secondhand Smoke Exposure in Cars Among Middle and High School Students—United States, 2000–2009
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Posted by: Natalia Gromov
King BA, Dube SR, Tynan MA. Pediatrics. Published online February 6,
2012.
In this study, data on youth exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS)
was reviewed from the National Youth Tobacco Survey, a national survey of U.S.
students in grades 6 through 12. The results indicate that over the last decade,
SHS exposure decreased among both nonsmoking and smoking middle and high school
students. However, in 2009, 22.8 percent of non-smoking students and 75.3
percent of smoking students still reported SHS exposure in a car within the past
week. Among youth, SHS exposure can lead to acute respiratory infections, middle
ear disease, delayed lung growth, and more severe asthma. The authors suggest
that implementing voluntary smoke-free policies, or expanding existing
comprehensive smoke-free policies that prohibit smoking in worksites and public
areas, could reduce SHS exposure in motor vehicles among youth.
|
|
Email to a Friend